Jap

For other uses, see JAP.

Jap (variants: Japo, Japse) is a term denoting anything Japanese. In most English-speaking countries, it is accepted that it is a derogatory racial slur similar to the term nigger when referring to dark skinned people.

The three-letter and two-letter international country code (ISO 3166) for Japan, JPN and JP, are commonly used for the abbreviation of Japan.

In Japanese dictionaries, the term "Jap" is only defined as a disparaging term used against the Japanese people, like it is the case in many English language dictionaries.

War slur

Newspaper headlines announcing Japanese surrender in World War II

The first recorded use of Jap was in 1860 to refer to members of the Japanese embassy in the United States. It was later popularized during World War II to describe those of Japanese/Asian descent, and was then commonly used in newspaper headlines to refer to the Japanese.

Actions of civil rights groups

In Texas, under pressure from civil rights groups, Jefferson County commissioners in 2004 decided to drop the name "Jap Road" from a 4.3-mile road near the city of Beaumont. Ironically, the road was originally named Jap Road in 1905 in honor of a local Japanese rice farmer. Also in adjacent Orange County, "Jap Lane" has also been targeted by civil rights groups. The road was originally named for the contributions of Kichimatsu Kishi and the farming colony he founded.

Trivia

John Lennon sometimes to refer to Yoko as "his jap"

See also

• Anti-Japanese sentiment

External links

• Jap in literature